Author name: oisinkelly

Five Donegal schools approved for various building works

  Five schools in Donegal have been approved for various building works this coming year. Education Minister Joe McHugh made the announcement today saying the funding approval accommodation and emergency works will makes a massive difference to how a school can operate. St Eunan’s National School in Raphoe has been approved as part of the […]

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92 Donegal groups receive Community Enhancement funding

More than 2,100 community initiatives around the country have been allocated a total of 4.5 million euro in funding, 92 of the groups in Donegal It’s under the Department of Rural and Community Development’s community enhancement programme. This provides groups with help to improve facilities in disadvantaged areas. Minister Michael Ring says the money will

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Bishop of Raphoe responds to abused sisters’ statement

The Bishop of Raphoe has acknowledged that the Catholic Church failed victims of abuse, and by today’s standards, dealt with such situations in a way that was “tragically bad”. Bishop Alan McGuckian was speaking after two Fanad sisters who were abused by a priest in the 1970s issued a comprehensive statement this week asking who

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Donegal to share €28m in bid to combat Brexit impact

  Donegal is to share a €28m package for businesses based in Border counties announced by Government this morning. The funding is aimed at driving economic activity in the region and mitigating the worst effects of Brexit. It follows increasing concerns over the impact Brexit is having on Border communities. The Border Economic Stimulus Package

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Fears Donegal could lose out on funding if two schemes merge

  The Cathaoirleach of the Inishowen Municipal District has expressed concern over a Government proposal to amalgamate the Town and Village renewal scheme and the Rural Regeneration Programme. While Donegal is said to fare well in the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, it’s thought that the county doesn’t benefit as much from the Rural Regeneration

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First time buyers clean up in mortgage approvals in November

  First time buyers accounted for more than half of all the mortgages approved by Irish banks in November last year. Almost 4,200 mortgages were approved, according to the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland. The strongest growth was among those getting on the property ladder for the first time, up more than 8 percent on

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Call for Emergency Department Taskforce to meet more often

There were 18 people awaiting in-patient beds at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning, one of them on an Emergency Department trolley. Meanwhile, figures published today show a total of 5,727, patients spent time awaiting beds over the course of last year, the 6th highest figure in the country. Nationally, the 2019 figure was over 118,000.

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Kilmacrennan family left shaken after man tries to enter home

  A family in Kilmacrennan has been left badly shaken after a man attempted to gain entry to their home on Christmas Eve. Gardaí at Milford are investigating the burglary which happened at Ballyboe, Kilmacrennan shortly before midnight on Tuesday of last week. The scene is located approximately 1 km from the Millbridge shop which

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Could recycling & dumping of big items for free reduce fly-tipping?

  There are calls on Donegal County Council to make the use of recycling centres and the dumping of larger items either free of charge or costs reduced. It’s thought the move would encourage more people to recycle and effectively reduce the amount of fly tipping in the county. Cllr Patrick McGowan says if we’re

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Talks on restoring power-sharing in North to restart this morning

  Talks on restoring power-sharing in Northern Ireland are to restart this morning – as the next deadline looms. If parties don’t reach an agreement by the 13th of January, a snap assembly election can be called by the UK Government. Stormont hasn’t had a functioning political system in almost three years after a botched

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Parking related income generates almost €2M in Donegal in 2019

Parking penalties and charges has generated almost 2 million euro in Donegal in 2019. Fixed Charge Notices in the county have generated over 1 million euro from January to November of last year while parking related income brought in over €900,000 over the same period. According to today’s Donegal Democrat, income from off-street parking in

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Over 5,700 people at LUH waited for in-patient beds in 2019

  Over 118-thousand patients were left waiting for a hospital bed in 2019, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. That’s 9 percent higher than 2018’s figures and the INMO says the numbers have never been higher. Letterkenny University Hospital had a total of 5,727, patients awaiting a bed in 2019, the 6th highest

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Tanaiste urging Stormont parties to show leadership and generosity

The Tánaiste is urging Stormont’s rowing parties to show ‘leadership and generosity’ when talks resume. Simon Coveney and Northern Secretary Julian Smith were in Belfast today for informal discussions, before talks begin with the North’s parties tomorrow. All sides have until January 13th to strike a deal to restore power-sharing – or they will face

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Calls for more funding for water infrastructure upgrades in Donegal in 2020

There are calls for more funding for upgrade works to water infrastructure in Donegal in 2020. 2019 saw what’s been described as countless bursts to water mains right across the county, most notably in the Falcarragh, Gortahork and south Inishowen areas. Irish Water has earmarked several projects to start in the New Year but it’s

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Termon face biggest test of the year in Lavey – Trevor Alcorn

Donegal Champions Termon will play Lavey of Derry in the Ulster Minor Tournament Final on New Years Day in Belfast. The Burn Road side have seen of Silverbridge Harps’s (Armagh), Emyvale (Monaghan) and Kilcoo (Down) to make the decider while Lavey beat Enniskillen Gaels and Killyclogher to reach the final. Termon are looking to bridge

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Brothers appear in court in Omagh charged with ATM robberies

Two Co Tyrone brothers have been charged with the robbery of ATM machines in Omagh and Irvinestown in February and March last year. Matthew and Robert McLean appeared at Omagh Magistrates Court, where Robert McLean was also charged with theft of a trailer. Neither spoke, except to confirm they understood the charges. Judge Mark McGarrity

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Danielle McLaughlin’s mother calls on Taoiseach to raise ‘slow pace’ trial in Goa

The mother of Danielle McLaughlin has called on the Taoiseach as he visits Goa over the New Year to discuss the slow pace of her daughter’s murder trial, despite it being fast tracked. Vikat Bhagat is currently on trial for the murder of Danielle in Goa in 2017. The Irish Embassy attended the trial in

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